The Beginning
by Swovu
Summary: A short story of the events leading up to the first Sonic the Hedgehog game. Contains and interesting (I hope) take on Dr. Eggman's origins. Chapter 4 complete. RR please.
1. Chapter 1

In the lush meadows at the base of the Green Hill Zone lies a small village, Knothole, populated entirely by animals. Once heralded as a peaceful village, the ideal place to raise a family, as of late strange happenings have befallen this remote hamlet. The resident animals are afraid to leave the village alone because recently there have been many strange dissapearances.. villagers vanishing without a trace in and around the GHZ. No one knows for sure what the source of the dissapearances is, but a few animals have reported sightings of robotic creatures in the areas around the village at night. It is a troubling time indeed for Knothole's residents, but of course there are some people that never have worries, or so it seems...  
  
The afternoon sun glimmered off pair of thick 80's style sunglasses, their donner casually sipping his lemonade, rocking slightly back and forth in his favorite hammock, comic book resting on his lap. Though he had spent all his life in Knothole, most didnt know his real name. His nickname was Sonic because he was one who posessed great speed on foot. He was a carefree blue-furred hedgehog who lived on the edge of the village with his young fox friend, Miles. Sonic was a very ambient fellow, those who knew him liked him very much for his cool composure and strong sense of righteousness. He had taken Miles in after both of Miles' parents had dissapeared in the GHZ. He didnt not make a very good father figure for he was only a few years older than Miles, but he was a good role model; Miles looked up to him like an older brother.   
  
Sonic did have one flaw, his flamboyance. The hedgehog loved to show off using his speed, often creating quite a spectacle for the other villagers. Most all were impressed with his displays of speed, especially Miles who often tried to keep up with Sonic... but couldn't. Sonic lived his life from day to day, caring not for the past and looking only towards the future. But as he sipped his lemonade he could not keep his focus on the comic book before him; his mind was occupied.  
  
Up until a few years prior, there had been one human who lived with the animals in knothole. His name was Ivo. Ivo was a rather rotund indivual who at first was very friendly and welcoming to all the villagers. Everybody liked him, he was so kind that it was hard not to. At christmas he would dress up as Santa Claus and visit all of the young animals. Ivo was a technological genius. He spent much of his time locked away in his house on the egde of town, tinkering with his latest inventions. He was an accomplished electrician, he had been responsible for wiring knothole with electricity, but his true love lied in robotics. Ivo loved to create artificial life, and he was very talented at it.  
  
As the years went by, Ivo seemed to gradually break away from the rest of the villagers. He was seen less and less of until one day without telling anyone, he left the village. No one was quite sure why he left, but those who knew him best had some ideas. As Ivo experimented more and more with his robots his fondness for them grew and his respect for all things organic diminished. It seemed he cherished his ariticial creations more than natural life.. to the point where he believed them to be superior. And so one day he dissapeared. The villagers searched his hut and concluded that he had gone to the area known as the Scrap Brain Zone - the ruins of the last great human civilization.   
  
Sonic had never liked Ivo, something about the man seemed off to him. Maybe it was his appearance; Ivo was not an attractive man. His long thin limbs connected to a giant egg-shaped body. His moustache shot out from under his coke bottle glasses, appearing as if he'd been electrocuted. Whatever the reason, ever since his leaving Sonic distrusted him even more, and now that villagers were dissapearing, Sonic's suspicion was even higher.  
  
"Sonic! Sonic!" A distant voice, gradually growing nearer, broke his train of thought. He looked to his left as an orange figure skidded to a stop before him. Miles looked exasperated and out of breath.  
  
"Whats up Miles?" Sonic asked, intrigued by Miles' expression. "You look upset."  
  
"Dont call me Miles, I hate that name.." was the initial response. After a brief pause he spoke again. "Sonic.. I heard it's happened again." Sonic gave Miles a perplexed look, but before he could ask what, his question was answered. "Someone's gone missing..."  
  
Before Miles could continue Sonic jumped up from the hammock, his lemonade spilling onto the ground. "I'm going," he said.   
  
"Going...?"  
  
"I can't take it anymore, too many good people are being taken.. and I think I might know who's behind it. What I'm sure of is I need to put a stop to it before it happens again." Miles was taken aback.  
  
"Sonic, you cant go! What if you never come back? What would I do..." Sonic paused for a moment and thought. He rested his hand on Miles' shoulder.  
  
"Come on, bro, do you really think they could catch me?" he asked with a smile. Miles just lightly shook his head, his gaze was focused on his feet. "I'll be back in a few days, just wait for me. I'll never stop running..." 


	2. Chapter 2

At such high velocity everything but what lies directly infront of you is a blur, as your biorythm doubles the scenery becomes just countless lines as tne wind surrounds you. Your only focus is what lies ahead, there is no looking back for everything comes so fast. Legs rotate with such speed that they can only be seen as a circular blend of red and white, spinning faster than a helicopter's blade.   
  
Sonic's eyes never faltered. Blends of green and orange zoomed by at the speed of sound as his legs pounded over grassy hills, past checkered stone and through meadows of bobbing sunflowers. Hopping chasms and spinning loops, crossing thorn vines and skipping across ledges, Sonic's gaze never left the horizon in front of him. Sonic had always enjoyed the lush scenery of the GHZ but one cannot appreciate its beauty in a flash. He had but one thing on his mind - and it was not the scenery he was passing by. The faces of those who had gone shot through Sonic's mind. He knew them all in a way; some as friends, some as parents of friends, some as acquaintances, and he was determined to find them.   
  
As he ran and thought, a distant sound began to make itself apparent in Sonic's mind, grasping his attention. The sound began to grow louder, drawing nearer. It reminded Sonic of a bumble bee's buzz, only it sounded artificial, mechanical. "What is that sound..?" he thought to himself as it grew louder and louder. A yellow orb, a bright flash, and a burst of energy. Sonic was thrown back spiraling and after about 20 feet he came to a stop in a patch of thick green grass. Regaining his composure, he leapt to his feet, standing in a defensive stance and jerked his head around to get a clear view of all directions. The area of the blast was but a charred smoking hole now, the shot had barely missed him. Then he saw it.  
  
Circling in the air above him was what appeared to be a giant black hornet. Faded black graphite formed the body; the limbs and stinger were of a shiny chrome material. It was obviously one of the recently reported robots. Its gaze was focused directly on Sonic, red lights for eyes following his every move. It raised up and positioned its stinger aiming at Sonic and particles of light began to surround the stinger. "What the...? Wahh!!" If not for his quick reflexes and quicker speed, that blast surely would have been the end of him. "A death robot..? Who would make such a thing..." Again it fired at him, but the speed of its photon blasts were no match for Mobius' fastest hedgehog. "Ivo..." Another shot and another swift dodge. "But why...?" Before he continued his mental deliberation, he figured it was best to take care of this pesky robot.  
  
Using his fleetness of foot, Sonic began to run circles on the ground below the machine as fast as he could, knowing fully well that its targeting system could not keep up with him. The robot simply began to fire wrecklessly in all directions. Every shot created a small crater in the ground, but the blue blur's pace continued. The wasp fired shot after shot, but to no avail. Realizing that simply running would not defeat this contraption, Sonic decided to test something. He charged the creature at full speed, and leaped into the air. Forming himself into a ball, he used his extreme velocity to put himself into a spin as he zoomed in on his adversary. The machine's light metal plating was no match for sharpened quills spinning at such a hypersonic speed and its bottom third was sliced clean off. Both Sonic and the severed metal landed on the soft grass with a light thud. Immediately turning around to see what remained of his foe, Sonic saw a bright flash as the beast exploded. Scraps of warped metal fell to the ground below, forming a pile of smoldering leftovers.  
  
Sonic speedily approached the rubble and examined it. Branded on one of the plates on top was the title "B-101 Buzz Bomber."   
  
"Buzz Bomber?" Sonic thought to himself. "How cute. I bet its creator intended for -it- to do the bombing. Pity." As he turned around to walk away, he noticed some of the debris still moving. "Still got some life in you, eh? I'll take care of that." But as he approached the pile, something he never expected happened. An orange hand popped out from under some of metal plating, fingers outspread, reaching for him. Sonic was overcome by shock. He rushed to the hand, and gripped it, pulling as hard as he could. Using all of his power, he pulled a large orange two-failed fox from the junkpile. "Mr. Prower!". Sonic put his arm around the familiar fox, helping him to a sitting position.   
  
Mr. Prower looked up at Sonic weakly, it was obvious he was on his last breaths. "Sonic... Ivo.. he.." But before he could finish his sentence, the struggling animal passed, his head falling back limp. Sonic didn't know what to do, he dropped the fox and stepped back, his mind racing. In front of him lay Miles' father, dead, and apparently Ivo was to blame. Sadness quickly turned to anger as Sonic's fists balled up. Fighting off emotion, he turned and began running. But no matter how fast he ran, Sonic could not outrun his emotions. Skidding to a hault, Sonic looked back at the way he came, towards Knothole.   
  
"I cant to back now, not after this." He looked forward to the horizon. The giant volcanic mountains of Marble zone rose in the distance, leering down over the GHZ. "I will find find Ivo... and I will stop him. I promise that to myself.. and to Miles." Sonic took off, zooming deeper up into the GHZ, towards the Marble Zone. 


	3. Chapter 3

Sonic came screeching to a hault in the center of a small grassy opening. A few miles ahead of him above the tree line was the Marble Zone. Few mobians had ever been the Marble Zone as it was said to be a very perilous landscape. It was a series of small mountains, made of purple-obsidian volacnic rock. It was said to be very unstable, pools of smoldering liquid magma bubbled about its creviced surfaces. The Mobians who had originally explored it had built, underneath it, a series of caves and caverns to guide travelers through the mountains, but few used these treachersous paths for many who attempted them were never heard from again. A dangerous land indeed, but Sonic knew he had to cross it.  
  
Knowing it would be a tiring hike, Sonic decided to take a small break in this grassy meadow. However as he took a load off his feet, little did he know that he was being watched from a short distance away..  
  
"Damn that hedgehog.. destroying one of my precious creations. It looks like I will have to deal with him personally. No one crosses me, no one..."   
  
From his relaxed position in the grass, Sonic began to hear another buzzing sound coming from the forrest. "Ugh.." he said to himself. "Not this again." But as the sound grew nearer, he could tell it was different this time. Just as he jumped to his feet, he saw a round metallic object hovering over the treetops, heading his way. It quickly descended and halted before him. It was a roofless circular hovering craft, a one-man vessel. Seated firmly inside, and glaring down at him, was the man he was searching for, Ivo. "You..." Sonic clenched his fists.  
  
"Me..?" Ivo asked mockingly, questionably gesturing to himself as he turned his head to look over his shoulders, knowing fully well no one was there. "Why what ever do you mean?"  
  
"I know what you've been doing!" Sonic shouted. "And it ends here!"  
  
"Mm.. I knew it was only a matter of time before you found out. You animals are a persistent bunch. Not too bright though. But I'm working on that." A reserved yet mocking grin spread his flubbery cheeks. By Sonic's expression, Ivo could tell he was furious. "Why yes, once I'm through with you, you will all much much better off."  
  
Sonic's expression changed to one of disgust. "Why..? Why all this now?" A simple direct question.  
  
"Why..?" He let out a soft maniacal giggle. "Oh, I'll tell you why.." His craft very gradually descended as he spoke. "For years I lived in your pathetic village. You animals.. you are such a close and tight-knit group. I was but an outcast, the only human. So I locked myself away, working on my beautiful creations, they were my only comfort. I was able to create mechanical beings, wonderful and lifelike machines that were so realistic in personality. In fact, they were beyond realistic... they were perfect. And every time I looked out my windows and saw you pathetic animals I was reminded of imperfection. But that doesn't have to be anymore. One by one, I will cleans you all.. and make you perfect! You will all be roboticized and this world will know the perfection of life.. thanks to the most brilliant scientific mind alive: Dr. Ivo... Robotnik!"  
  
Sonic took a step back, he couldn't believe it. "You're.. insane.. That will never happen!"  
  
"Oh really now, and who is going to stop me?" Sonic took an offensive stance and glared up at Robotnik, silently but clearly answering him. "Oh, you?" Robotnik unleashed a hearty laugh. "A mere rodent thinks he cant stop me? Ra ha ha ha ha ha! I'll make an example out of you, pest! Your worthless life ends now!" His tone was serious, he meant business. His craft sharly ascended, about 15 feet off the ground. "You dont know what you've gotten yourself into, hedgehog!" A large compartment on the hull of the craft slowly opened and with a cranking sound a giant metallic sphere descended, attached from a steel linked chain. The sphere rapidly swung back, away from Sonic. "Goodbye, my foolish adversary." The sphere swung forward with sharp velocity. Sonic didn't move.. or at least thats how it looked to Robotnik. "Ha, that fool!"   
  
Robotnik scanned the ground for Sonic's body, but could not find it. "Now where is the little bugger.. He's no use to me since he's dead, but he'll make a fine ornament once I stuff him!" For a minute or so, Robotnik searched the ground, but could find no trace of his victim. "Where..?" A confident voice from behind him interrupted his search.  
  
"Looking for something, Ro-BUTT-nik?". Robotnik quickly spun his ship around. There he was, standing confidently with his arms crossed over his chest, looking to the side non-chalantly. "You'll have to be quicker than that."  
  
"Grr.. why you little!" The sphere came swinging again at Sonic, but by the time it reached him, he was gone.   
  
"Over here, big guy!" The voice came from behind him. Robotnik could not contain his anger. Another swing, another miss. "Awh, c'mon Ivo, I know you're faster than that."  
  
"You pesky rodent! Nobody mocks me!" As the sphere again came swining towards Sonic, a quick snap and a loud thud followed. Robotnik looked in astonishment as the giant sphere rolled on the ground, eventually coming to a stop, its chain severed.  
  
"Pretty nifty quills, eh fatso?" Sonic asked with a hint of laughter in his voice. Robotnik looked like he was about pop pop a vein, he knew he had been shown up. His craft sharply ascended.  
  
"Mark my words, Hedgehog, you havent seen the last of me! You'll pay for this!" With those words he made his retreat, flying back over the treeline towards the Marble Zone. He was quickly out of sight. Sonic collected himself, he knew he had not much time to spare. He took off and zoomed to the end of the meadow and into the forrest. Soon he was out of the woods and at the base of the Marble Zone's volcanic mountains. Not stopping to think, he rushed forward, into the Marble Zone. 


	4. Chapter 4

"Mm, this ain't so bad" Sonic thought to himself as he ascended the purple asphalt hill infront of him. The surface was a bit slippery but was very easy on his feet. You would think that a creature who runs who much would have physically hardened treads, but Sonic's were very sensetive, the reason he always wore those fashionably daring red and white sneakers. Based on what he knew of the Marble zone, there were two ways to cross through it. The first was over the tops of the mountains, daring bubbling magma pits and unstable crickety ledges, a treacherous route indeed. The alternative was through a series of caves carved through the mountains, though this route was a total mystery to him. He knew not what natural dangers awaited in those forbading caverns. All things considered, Sonic decided to take the more scenic outdoor route. Approaching the peak of the first small mountain, Sonic came to a stop to get a good view of the passes below.  
  
A long steep decline, no problem. Only after a few steps of running downhill, Sonic curled himself into a ball and effortlessly glided down the incline enclosed in a natural sphere. While spinning, it would seem that everything can only be seen as a blended rotating blur, but Sonic had trained his eyes to see almost perfectly normally while rolling at such high speeds. However by the time he saw IT, it was too late. It was purple, so it blended in well with the obsidian mountain surface. It appeared to be a giant caterpillar, but by the way it felt as his quills shredded through it, he doubted it was organic. Unraveling out of his spherical form, Sonic slowly came to a stop; the surface gave his feet little friction for stopping. He quickly sprinted up the hill to where it lay.   
  
"Yup, another one of that maniac's robots." The machine lay in shambles, part of it still twitching on the ground before him. It was quite large, about twice his size. Long sharp spikes protruded from its frame, giving a particularly twisted and evil look. "I guess he was expecting this thing to be a bit a suprise for me. I'm only suprised I shredded through it so easily." It was then that Sonic remembered. He quickly and immediately began picking through the pile of rubble, but it was some movement from a good 20 feet away that caught his attention.   
  
The discombobulated rabbit sat up as Sonic approached her. She appeared to be ok, Sonic must have cut through the robot where she wasnt. Of course it was his place to ask. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks to you Sonic. But my head hurts, I feel a bit dizzy." This was apparent in her dazed expression. Sonic didn't know who she was. There were many people in the village he didn't know, but everyone knew him because of his speed displays. He decided not to ask her name, he didnt have much time. What he needed was raw information.  
  
"What do you remember about whats happened to you?" His question was stern and straightforward. The rabbit held a quizzical look for a second, that soon changed to pensive. After a few seconds she replied.  
  
"I dont remember much. I remember I was taken.. by a giant robot. There were lots of lights, and a big machine. They put me in the machine.. and I can't remember much after that.. except for HIM."  
  
"It's okay, I'll take care of him. But.. do you think you can make it back to knothole from here?"  
  
"Yes, I know the way"  
  
"Then I've got to keep moving forward."  
  
"... Good luck Sonic." Chances are he didn't hear that entire sentence. By the time she finished it his streak was at the bottom of the mountain.  
  
Sonic kept his pace up. With the occasional hop of a magma pit, his speed never dropped. The terrain was indeed dangerous but he was confident in his reaction time, it had never failed him before. However at the bottom of one mountain, he was forced to stop; before him lay a giant lake of molten lava. It looked to be about a mile across and on its far side he could see the flashing lights of the Springyard Zone. Conventiently there were several small areas of mossy rock through the lake, acting like little islands. Seeing as this was the fastest way across, he began to island hop.   
  
About halfway across the lake, that familiar humming sound began to make itself present. Sonic came to a stop on a rather large "island" and looked to the far edge of the lake, where Robotnik's hovercraft was steadily approaching. "Great, just what I need." When he was within a reasonable proximity, Robotnik shouted out to him.   
  
"You're all mine now, Hedgehog!" With those words, the compartment on the bottom of his craft opened, and a small cannon-like contraption protruded. It proceeded to aim at Sonic, and fired a rather clumsy fireball. It approached Sonic slowly, and was obviously not going to hit him so Sonic stood still as it landed on the island a few feet next to him.  
  
"Is that all you've got, Ro-butt... whoa!" Sonic quickly jumped to the other side of the island. The fireball had ignited the moss on the rock and was steadily engulfing the remainder of the island. Sonic hopped to a neighboring one.  
  
"What were you saying, Hedgehog? You may have escaped that one.. but it will be a bit harder when there's no where to run to!" His cannon began spinning, spouting out rounds and rounds of fireballs. Most sunk into the lava and were useless, but a few managed to land on ground, lighting ablaze. Soon Sonic found himself standing on a lone island, amongst a sea of flaming rocks.   
  
"And now, Hedgehog, you burn!" The cannon slowly turned to aim at Sonic's island. It then fired. Sonic panicked, having nowhere to run.. the jumped to the only place he could. He landed with a thud on the back of Robotnik's craft. "What?! Why you pesky little..!" Robotnik turned to swat at the intruder, but as usual nothing remained by the time he hand was there. Jerking his head around to find where Sonic had gone, he could not find him. He checked all sides of his hovercraft, but the hedgehog was not to be seen. "Pity.. he must have fallen. What a sad sad fate. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!" He took off to head back to his base. But as he reached the edge of the lake, he heard a thud below him.. soon to be followed by that menacing voice.  
  
"Thanks for the lift, fatty!" All he saw after that was a blue blur zooming ahead of him, into the Springyard Zone. 


End file.
